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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25970881">The Foxhole Hero Agency</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/inadequeer/pseuds/inadequeer'>inadequeer</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>All For The Game - Nora Sakavic</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Additional Warnings Apply, Alternate Universe - Quirks (My Hero Academia), Alternate Universe - Superheroes/Superpowers, Canon-Typical Violence, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, M/M, Murder, Parallels Canon</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-08-20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 10:08:07</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>15,683</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25970881</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/inadequeer/pseuds/inadequeer</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Saving people had felt good. It was the first real thing he had felt other than the crushing waves of grief and the strangling fear since his mother died. He could leave at any time. Wymack's contract was for five years, but Neil didn't have to stay that long. He could duck and run whenever he pleased, couldn't he?</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Minor or Background Relationship(s), Neil Josten/Andrew Minyard</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>40</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>this is LARGELY based on the anime my hero academia / boku no hero academia but you don't have to have to know anything about it to read this. it's just for context.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Neil long ago lost count of how many airports he'd seen. Whatever insane number it was, he'd never gotten comfortable with them. There were too many people to keep an eye on, and flying with falsified passports was always risky. He'd inherited his mother's connections after her death, so he knew the work was good, but his heart did double-time every time someone asked to see his papers. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He'd never been through Sky Harbor or Upstate Regional, but there was something familiar about their frenetic pace. He stood off to one side of his gate in Upstate for almost a minute after everyone else from his flight rushed off to Arrivals or their transfers. The crowd swirling around him seemed the usual mix: vacationers, businessmen, and students heading home at the end of the semester. He didn't expect to see anyone he recognized, as he'd never been to South Carolina before, but it never hurt to check. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Finally he followed signs down a hall and up a flight of stairs to Arrivals. Friday afternoon meant the small lobby was comfortably crowded, but spotting the ride David Wymack promised him was easier than Neil expected. It was the weight of his new teammate's stare that brought Neil's gaze almost right to him. It was one of the Gemini twins, even out of costume Neil recognized him immediately. Though Neil didn't know if it was Aaron or Andrew.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Neil had dug up and read anything and everything he could about the heroes he would be working with, most of them were nobodies; their stats and name listed in the official American Hero Register but nothing beyond that. The Gemini twins were one of the three notable exceptions. Andrew and Aarond Minyard were identical twin heroes who both used the name Gemini (Even though their birthday was in November) and wore the same costume to confuse enemies. Unfortunately there was no real footage of either of them in action on the internet so he didn't know what their powers were other than the names they were registered under, "Supernova" and "Blackhole" respectively. The gimmick of being twins by itself wasn't all that interesting but one of the twins had a violent streak that some said was even downright villainous.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>As a teenager Andrew Minyard had spent three years in a juvenile detention facility after being bounced from one foster home to another. Two years ago he had almost murdered four people. Neil wasn't sure how he had managed to avoid jail but suspected it had something to do with David Wymack, since shortly after Andrew and Aaron and even their cousin Nicholas Hemmick were all licensed heroes under the Foxhole Hero Agency.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The Foxhole Hero Agency, or the Foxes, were a team of rejects and junkies, because Wymack only ever signed heroes from broken homes and desperate situations. They had no interns and no sidekicks and they were notorious among heroes and civilians alike for their violent behavior and for getting ranked dead-last in the hero agency evaluations three years running. They had finally managed to get </span>
  <em>
    <span>some </span>
  </em>
  <span>positive attention thanks to the perseverance of Dan Wilds, who had fought tooth and nail for her position as the 10th ranked hero in America, but they were still considered a joke by most. Even the HPSC, the Hero Public Safety Commission, was losing patience with their poor results. Then #2 ranked hero Kevin Day joined the line. It was the greatest thing that could happen to the Foxes and it was the only reason Neil could do what he was doing. With a superstar like Kevin Day at the agency no one would even look at any of the other heroes. At least that was the hope.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Neil crossed the room to meet the man who had come to pick him up. He was wearing all-black and it did nothing to make him look any taller, Neil was used to being the shortest person in a room but he had three inches on Aaron. Neil wondered how he could stand wearing long sleeves in May. Neil felt hot just looking at him. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He still didn't know if he was Andrew or Aaron and he certainly didn't offer that information when Neil approached. This felt like a test somehow, though he couldn't say why. From what he had read Andrew was violently antisocial while Aaron at least would talk to fans or reporters so he figured this was probably Aaron.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Neil," Aaron said in lieu of hello, and he pointed. "Baggage claim."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Just this." Neil tapped the strap of the duffle bag hanging off his shoulder. The bag was small enough to be a carry-on and large enough to carry everything Neil owned. Aaron accepted that without comment and started away. Neil followed him through sliding glass doors into a muggy summer afternoon. A small crowd was waiting at the crosswalk for the light, but Aaron pushed right through them into the street. Brakes screeched as a taxi slammed to a stop inches from Aaron's pint-sized body. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Aaron didn't seem to notice, more interested in getting a cigarette lit and between his lips. He paid even less attention to the rude words the driver yelled at him. Neil made an apologetic gesture at the cabbie who flipped him off in kind and jogged to catch up. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A sleek black car was parked six rows back in the short term parking garage. Neil didn't know much about cars in general, but he knew expensive when he saw it. He thought for a moment there must be a smaller car out of sight behind it, but Aaron unlocked it with a button on his key chain. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Bag in the trunk," he said, opening the driver's door and sitting sideways in the seat to smoke. Neil obediently put his duffel in the back before climbing in the passenger seat. Aaron didn't go anywhere until his cigarette was half-gone. He flicked the butt onto the concrete at his feet and tugged the door closed. A twist of the key in the ignition got the engine humming, and Aaron glanced at Neil again. The ghost of a smile tugged at one corner of his mouth, but it was a decidedly unfriendly expression. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Neil Josten," he said again, as if testing the way it sounded. "Here to be a hero and save the world?" Aaron cranked the air conditioner up as high as it could go and put the car in reverse but even with the AC blasting Neil could still feel a slight heat radiating off the smaller man, making the cramped space feel extra warm. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Hardly. I just needed a job and what Wymack offered me was better than anything I would make anywhere else without a degree." It was laughably easy to get a hero license in America, even if the one Neil currently held was a forgery he was fairly confident the only challenge in actually obtaining one would have been the background check. He had had absolutely no intention of becoming a hero before now, the only reason he happened to already have the license when Wymack found him was because people stopped asking questions when a hero license was flashed.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Wymack had tracked him down in Arizona after a video of him saving several people from a fire had gone viral. His mother would have beaten him black and blue for being stupid enough to get caught on camera. She never would have risked herself to save other people but she was dead and Neil had technically been responsible for that fire, he wasn't going to let it claim the lives of the other homeless people squatting in that tenement. He had been smoking, well not really smoking, he never put the cigarette to his lips he just let it burn down the filter just to smell the fire and feel the heat. He had gotten lost in his memories while watching the hypnotic pattern of smoke drift upward and some trash on the ground had caught fire while he wasn't paying attention and quickly spread to the foreclosed building he had taken shelter in.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He hadn't realized he had been filmed evacuating the other people until David Wymack sat down next to him at the bus stop where he was waiting for a Greyhound. It was nothing short of Neil's nightmare scenario and Neil had been preparing for a fight until Wymack explained who he was and what had brought him to Millport. He showed Neil the video and asked about his quirk; enhanced speed was a fairly common ability but he demonstrated a creative way of using it, or so Wymack said. He asked if Neil had a hero license and when he said yes he had offered him a contract with the Foxhole Agency, just like that. No background check, no interview, just a man with flame tattoos holding out a gloved hand to shake.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Of course at the time he hadn't known that Kevin Day of all people had signed with the Foxes, it had been years since he was following the latest hero news about Kevin, but still he had known what a bad idea it would be. He knew instantly what his mother would say, her fury at him for even considering it, but if Wymack had been able to find him from that video that meant other people could too. The fact that it had been Wymack to find him and not one of his father's people was probably his first and only real stroke of luck. If he joined a hero agency he would be able to learn updates about his father's case without seeming overly suspicious. There was no better place to hide from a super villain than with a bunch of super heroes,  he reasoned, even though the contract felt like an anchor around his neck it was still the closest thing to a lifeline Neil had at the moment. With his mother dead he was lost at sea and Wymack was throwing him a line. The only question now was if he would pull himself to safety or hang himself with it.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"How practical." Aaron remarked to Neil's previous statement. "That makes eleven of us now. If we get any more members people might start thinking we're a real agency. " </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It was a short drive to the parking lot exit and Aaron had cash ready for the lady at the booth. As soon as the bar lifted to let them out, he stepped down on the gas. A horn sounded at them in warning as they cut right into traffic and Neil discreetly tightened his buckle. Aaron either didn't notice or didn't care. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>When they were on the road, he flicked Neil a sideways look. "I hear you didn't react well to Wymack when you met him. He said you looked ready for a fight." </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I wasn't expecting him and I don't like being approached by strangers." Neil answered, watching the unfamiliar scenery rush by outside the window. "Maybe you'll forgive me for not reacting well." </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Maybe I won't. I don't believe in forgiveness." He fired back. "You said you weren't good enough to be a pro, but here you are anyway. You think signing to an agency will change that?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"No," Neil said tiredly. "It was just too hard to say no." </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Coach always knows what to say, hm? It makes it harder on the rest of us, though. The internet is buzzing about this new mystery hero but apparently you've got no experience." </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Neil shrugged. "Millport is too small to care about experience and I wasn't going to let those people just burn to death while I waited for the fire fighters. It was just a matter of being in the right place at the right time, I guess." </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Do you believe in fate?" Neil heard the faint scorn in the other man's voice. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"No. Do you?" </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Luck, then," Aaron said, ignoring the return question.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Only the bad sort." </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"We're flattered by your high opinion of us, of course." Aaron pulled at the wheel, sliding the car from one lane to the other without bothering to check the traffic around him. Horns blared behind them. Neil watched in the rearview mirror as cars swerved to avoid hitting them. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"It's too nice of a car to wreck,"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Don't be so afraid to die," Aaron said as the car kept gliding across the four-lane road to an exit ramp. "If you are, you have no place in our agency." </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Are you referring to Janie Smalls or Seth Gordon?" Neil asked pointedly.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"When you sign with us you put your life on the line." Neil supposed that was true for any hero agency but if possible it seemed even more true with the Foxes, even with their staggeringly small numbers they had already lost two of their members in the past 12 months. Founding member Seth Gordon had died of a drug overdose two months ago and earlier that year their latest recruit Janie Smalls had tried to kill herself. Her best friend found her bleeding out in a bathtub and got her to a hospital just in time. Last Neil heard, the girl was on suicide watch in a psychiatric ward. Typical of a Fox, the anchorman had said in crass aside, and he wasn't exaggerating.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"My life is always what's on the line. I don't have anything else to bet with." </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Oh," Aaron said. "Oh, you might actually turn out to be interesting. For a little while, at least. I don't think the amusement will last. It never does."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"What does that mean?" Neil asked defensively but Aaron ignored him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"You're joining an agency with Kevin Day. People are always willing to bleed for him. You've seen the news, I assume." </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I've seen it," Neil said. Aaron flicked his fingers as if that proved his point. Neil would be hard-pressed to say he was wrong, so he let it slide.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span> Kevin Day and his adoptive brother Riko Moriyama were the two top ranked heroes in America. Kevin's mother Kayleigh Day was the longest standing number one hero in history, holding her ranking for 30 years up until her sudden and mysterious death. Tetsuji Moriyama created the Evermore Hero Agency roughly thirty years ago and when Kayleigh died Tetsuji took Kevin in and raised him alongside his nephew Riko.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Kevin and Riko were raised in Evermore but the professional hero had no time to raise children. Riko and Kevin spent their formative years at Evermore with the interns and sidekicks instead and were considered the agency's unofficial mascots. When they weren't being trained by Tetsuji,  who had retired as a hero in order to oversee their training full time, they were coached by the other professional heroes, and private tutors in place of conventional school.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Kevin and Riko grew up in front of cameras, always together. Until Kevin signed with the Wymack he and Riko were never seen in separate rooms. Their unconventional childhood led many to worry about their psychological well-being but also fueled a rabid fan obsession with the pair. Riko and Kevin were the face of Evermore. To many, they were considered the future of professional heroes. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Until last December when Riko and Kevin both vanished from the public eye for weeks and it wasn't until the end of January that Tetsuji Moriyama addressed the topic at a press conference, and the news was a cruel blow to fans everywhere: Kevin Day had been critically injured in a fight with a villain. According to Tetsuji, Kevin and Riko were too devastated to face either the Ravens or their upset fans just yet. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The next day, David Wymack told the press Kevin was recuperating in South Carolina. Hearing Kevin was injured and possibly would never return to hero work was bad; finding out he'd left the Ravens was somehow worse for his obsessive fans. If Kevin was going to be relegated to the sidelines as an assistant coach, he should at least lend his prestige and knowledge to his home team. Fans took offense on their beloved hero's behalf, but most everyone assumed he'd transfer back as soon as his hand was finished healing. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Except Kevin Day signed a contract with the Foxes in March. His fans went from feeling heartbroken to feeling betrayed. The Foxhole Agency had borne the brunt of that rage since. Their office building had been vandalized upwards of a dozen times and there'd been numerous incidents with the Foxes since. Neil wasn't looking forward to getting in the middle of that mess but he figured it would take the spotlight he so desperately wanted to avoid off of him.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The agency building was a twenty-minute drive from the airport and the parking lot was completely empty when they arrived, but there were three people waiting on the sidewalk. Aaron was the first out and he aimed the key ring at the back of the car. Neil heard locks pop as he climbed out of the car. Aaron went to meet the others at the curb while Neil retrieved his duffel bag from the trunk. Neil slung it over his shoulder, relaxing a little at the familiar weight of it, and pushed the trunk closed. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>When he looked up he was the center of attention. The twins were standing to either side of Kevin, dressed identically and completely indistinguishable. Aaron looked bored now that he'd fulfilled his duty in getting Neil here and Andrew was smiling viciously.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Nicholas Hemmick was the only one who looked genuinely happy to see Neil, and he stepped up to the curb at Neil's approach. Neil was glad for the distraction, since it kept him from looking at Kevin who was staring intensely at him, and he readily accepted the hand Nicholas offered.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Hey," the other man said, "Welcome to South Carolina. Flight go okay?" </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"It was fine," Neil said. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I'm Nicky." Nicky gave Neil's hand another hard squeeze before letting go. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Andrew and Aaron's cousin, rescue hero extraordinaire." Nicky's quirk was </span>
  <em>
    <span>Heat Vision, </span>
  </em>
  <span>Neil remembered from his research on the Foxes, not the kind that fired beams of heat out of his eyes but the kind that allowed him to see the infrared spectrum and thermal signatures. It was an incredibly useful quirk in rescue situations but support heroes didn't stand out much and because of that he never made it very high in the rankings.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Kevin was there when Neil turned around with his bag and he flinched.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"What have you been doing this whole time?" Kevin demanded and there was a tilt to his jaw that made Neil sort of want to hit him but he was too busy trying to force his heart to keep beating at a steady pace.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It had been years since Neil stood in the same room as Kevin, years since they'd watched Neil kill a man. Neil knew Kevin's face as well as he knew his own, the consequence of watching Kevin grow up in the public eye from a thousand or more miles away. Everything about him was different. Everything was the same, from his dark hair and green eyes to the black number two tattooed onto his left cheekbone. Neil saw that number and wanted to retch. Kevin had that number back then, too, but he'd been too young to have it done permanently. Instead he and his adopted brother Riko Moriyama wrote the numbers one and two on their faces with markers, tracing them over and over anytime they started to fade. Neil didn't understand it then, but Kevin and Riko were aiming for the stars. They were going to be famous, they promised him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They were right. By the time they were 16 both of them were nationally ranked heroes with their sights set on the top positions, even going as far to tattoo their convictions upon their face, a 1 on Riko's cheek and a 2 on Kevin's. They were heroes, and Neil was a jumble of lies and dead-ends. Neil knew Kevin couldn't recognize him. It'd been too long; they'd both grown up a world apart. Neil had further disguised his looks with dark hair dye and brown contacts. But still survival instincts warred with need and twisted into an almost debilitating panic</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Neil looked up at Kevin finally, searching for his real name on Kevin's face. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"</span>
  <em>
    <span>Pardon</span>
  </em>
  <span>?" He asked, with a slow measured tone.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Your quirk is useful, you have obvious talent and there is always a demand for heroes with as practical a quirk as yours. You could easily have become a pro hero by now but for some reason no one has heard of you until now. So what were you doing all this time?" A muscle in Neil's jaw twitched. He really didn't recognize him, he was just an asshole. There was no way Neil could answer honestly, say he had been too busy running for his life to become a hero and that this hadn't even been his quirk until about seven years ago so instead he ignored the question and walked past Kevin to the agency building.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The smart thing would have been to run when Wymack made him the offer. Even if Kevin didn't know who he was, this was a terrible idea. The Foxes spent too much time in the news and it'd only get worse with Kevin on the line. Neil shouldn't submit himself to that sort of scrutiny. He should have torn Wymack's contract into a thousand pieces and left. Leaving meant living, but Neil's way of living was survival, nothing more. It was new names and new places and never looking back. It was packing up and going as soon as he started to feel settled. This last year, without his mother at his side, it meant being completely alone and adrift. He didn't know if he was ready for that. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Saving people had felt good. It was the first real thing he had felt other than the crushing waves of grief and the strangling fear since his mother died. He could leave at any time. Wymack's contract was for five years, but Neil didn't have to stay that long. He could duck and run whenever he pleased, couldn't he? </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He looked over his shoulder at Kevin. Kevin didn't recognize him, but maybe some part of him remembered the boy he'd met so many years ago. Neil's past was locked in Kevin's memories. It was proof he existed. Kevin was proof Neil was real. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Maybe Kevin was also the best chance Neil had at knowing when to leave again. If he lived, trained, and worked with Kevin, he'd know when Kevin started to get suspicious. The second Kevin started asking questions or looking at him funny, Neil would split.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span> "Coach was supposed to be here to let you in, but the Hero Commission called him, probably with some BS about getting your paperwork finalized, so he's upstairs in a video meeting and in the meantime you're stuck with us. Suitcases in the trunk?" </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"It's just this," Neil said. Nicky arched an eyebrow at him and looked at the others. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"He packs light. I wish I could travel like that, but hell if I ain't materialistic." </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Materialistic is just a start," Aaron said. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"This is where Coach lives because he has difficulty separating his work from his personal life." Nicky explained unnecessarily. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"What personal life." Aaron remarked with a snort and Nicky gestured like that was his point.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span> "The rest of us live in town but he said you could stay here until you found a place, don't worry though I </span>
  <em>
    <span>love</span>
  </em>
  <span> apartment hunting and I'm sure we can find you a nice place in a trendy neighborhood in no time."  Neil figured anything would be nice compared to the foreclosed buildings and back alley streets he had been sleeping in but figured that was probably better kept to himself. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The Foxhole Hero Agency was an old brick building standing at about seven stories. It looked like it might have originally been an office building of some kind but had been renovated with modern glass windows and garish orange and white metal finishes that made the building look like it was at war with itself. The paint job only made it stand out more: the walls were a blinding white with obnoxiously bright orange trim. A gigantic fox paw was painted on each of the four outer walls. It seemed like a large building for such a small agency but Wymack had probably expected to have more members when he bought the building. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Neil had known he would be crashing with Wymack for a couple weeks. He'd known, in the days following Wymack's visit, that it would be uncomfortable. He still wasn't prepared for the way his stomach roiled inside him now. He'd been on his own since his mother died, and the last man he'd lived with was his father. How was he supposed to let Wymack lock the door every night with both of them under the same roof? He couldn't possibly sleep here; every time Wymack breathed Neil would wake up and wonder who was after him. Maybe he should back out and check into a hotel, but how was he supposed to explain that to Wymack? Would he have to explain? Wymack thought Neil's parents were abusive, so maybe he'd understand Neil's reticence. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Still he hadn't expected to freeze up like this, and he hesitated a moment too long. He saw the look Nicky sent Aaron, curious and confused, and knew he'd made a mistake. Still, it wasn't until Andrew stepped up alongside him to see what the holdup was that Neil could move again. Andrew was smiling, but his pale stare was intense. Neil met his eyes for only a moment and knew it was worse to stay out here with them than it was to cross that threshold. He'd figure it out, but not here and not now, not with Andrew and Kevin as witnesses. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They gathered around the door so Aaron could dig the key out of his pocket. It took him two tries to remember which one he'd put it in. Neil didn't notice when he found it and unlocked the door. He was too busy staring at Aaron's pants pockets. They were much too flat to be hiding a pack of cigarettes, but Neil had seen Aaron put the pack away before crossing the street at the airport.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span> "Here you go, Neil," Nicky said, and Neil forced his gaze up to the open doorway. Nicky gestured for him to precede them. "Home sweet home, if anything involving Coach can be called sweet." </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Everything was covered in paperwork and empty coffee mugs. Overflowing ashtrays were in unhealthy abundance as well. Neil was halfway across the room to look out the window when Nicky spoke up behind him. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"</span>
  <em>
    <span>What was that all about?</span>
  </em>
  <span>" Neil's blood turned to slush. It wasn't the words that got him but the language Nicky used.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>When Neil was nine years old he had killed a man. It was the same day he had just met his icons Kevin and Riko and taken on a tour of Evermore grounds. He was there for an "audition" his father had told him, even though Neil's quirk had yet to manifest and he had nothing to show. A door closed behind them and suddenly he was in a very dark room with several adults, he recognized Tetsuji and some of his father's henchmen among the faces and of course the Butcher himself was there, white dress shirt covered in crimson and in the center of the room was the bloody man he did not know.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>At first he had thought the man was dead, there was certainly enough blood on the floor to make that conclusion but his father knew how to keep people alive when he was cutting them. He liked to take his time. He had pushed the knife into Neil's small hands and told him to take a life. He didn't even know the person but he was crying and begging for his life. Nathan had already done most of the job for Neil, and when he saw the look of hesitation on Neil's face he told him he had better hurry, that he would bleed out in under a minute. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Neil understood immediately what was happening. Nathan was testing Neil to see if he had inherited his quirk. When Nathan Wesinski took a life he gained that person's memories and experience, he called it "</span>
  <em>
    <span>Snuff Film</span>
  </em>
  <span>" because he said it was like watching a movie. He only discovered he had a quirk when he took his first life so it would make sense that his son would have a similar experience. He had married Neil's mother specifically for the quirks their offspring would produce, which was not an uncommon practice.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Neil knew if he didn't take this man's life right now and instead let him bleed out the next life his father took would be his. There was no question in his mind that the Butcher would not hesitate to kill his own son if he disappointed him. He could always just have another child. So it wasn't as if Neil had a real choice when he buried the knife in the man's chest. It had been his intention to make it quick, to put this man out of his misery, but it was harder than his father made it look and with his nine-year-old strength he struggled to push the blade through the bones and ligaments. The man screamed in pain as bones cracked and gave way and Nathan laughed in real genuine delight as he died in agony. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Then Neil had a seizure. He must have hit his head when he fell because there was a sharp pain at his temple when he woke up on the bloody floor next to the corpse he had created. He felt panic welling up in his chest─ nothing was different- nothing had changed. He didn't know the dead man's secrets-  he still didn't even know his name. Then he realized he could understand the Japanese that was being spoken by the adults still looking at him and waiting expectantly. This was notable because up until that moment he did not know Japanese.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He could tell it was Japanese that was being spoken, they hadn't switched to English but for some reason Neil knew exactly what they were saying. They were asking what they should be expecting and if this was going to take much longer. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Neil wondered if this was a side effect of a concussion. It wasn't. Nathan knelt down in front of Neil and asked how he felt, his eyes alight with a terrifying mania in the dark room. Neil swallowed hard and explained to his father that he could now understand Japanese, hoping this pitiful change would be enough evidence to satisfy his father and save his life.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Ever since that day Neil had been able to understand any language both spoken and written, which as it turns out had been that man's quirk. Neil had taken more than his life when he buried that knife in his chest, he had taken his quirk as well. But the Foxes couldn't know that unless Kevin really did recognize him and all this was a trap. He knew the tang of blood in his mouth was just his imagination, but it was sharp enough to choke him. He could feel his heartbeat on every inch of his skin, going so fast it set him trembling head to toe. Neil had half a mind to run for it, but then Aaron answered, and Neil realized with a sick rush Nicky wasn't talking to him. No, they were talking about him, not intending for him to understand. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Neil forced himself to move, finishing his trip to the window. He pushed the curtains back and put his hands to the glass, needing something to steady him while his heart tried to ease back to a normal rhythm. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"</span>
  <em>
    <span>Maybe he was savoring the moment,</span>
  </em>
  <span>" Aaron said. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"</span>
  <em>
    <span>No</span>
  </em>
  <span>," Nicky said. "</span>
  <em>
    <span>That was pure fight or flight. What the hell did you say to him, Andrew?</span>
  </em>
  <span>" Neil looked back at them. Nicky wasn't looking at Andrew, maybe already knowing he wasn't going to get an answer, but was watching Neil across the room. When Neil turned, Nicky gave a bright smile and switched back to English. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"How about a tour?" Neil considered saying something, but he'd already given too much away. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Sure." He agreed with a shrug. He wanted to get a feeling for the layout but that would come from time spent alone wandering the halls himself, exploring the seven floors, seeing what doors were locked and where the closest exits were on every floor.  "Where are the others?" He asked as somewhat of an afterthought.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>There were five other members of the Foxhole Hero Agency that Neil had not met yet. Neil had spent most of his time before coming to South Carolina researching the Foxes, reading anything and everything he could get his hands on and watching all available footage of them he could get. He spent his flight watching interviews of the Foxes and getting to know them.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Danielle Wilds, AKA Wildfire was a grade-A badass, and before Kevin Day joined she was the only one of the Foxes who had earned a spot in the top 10 hero ranks. She had a powerful quirk; the ability to create spontaneous combustion and fire but it was difficult to control and the fire quickly spread. Many critics and fans wrote her off as a liability but Wymack always had her back and she fought like hell for her rank at the #8 hero and the respect she now had.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>All of the other Foxes, with the exception of Kevin were unranked, meaning they weren't in the top 50 in the nation, though many expected that to change with the semiannual rankings since Kevin's transfer had brought a lot of attention to the Foxhole Agency and it's heroes. Abby Winfield was the team healer and was closer to Wymack's age than any of the other younger heroes he had recruited. Her healing quirk activated the body's natural healing abilities. It was nothing all that remarkable or special, but healing quirk's were rare and it made her invaluable to the team. Especially a team as prone to damage as the Foxes were.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Matt Boyd, hero name: Hold Fast was the foundation of the team in a very literal way, his quirk "Immovable" was just what it sounded like. He could make himself or any object he was touching Immovable. In combination with Allison Reynolds AKA, Princess Cut they made a powerful team. Allison had the ability to take on the physical trait of any material she touched, and since she wore a large, expensive diamond necklace anywhere she went she could turn her body into solid diamond making her functionally indestructible. She was apparently from a rich family from California and was disowned when she wanted to become a pro hero and the tabloids and fan blogs seemed particularly interested in her. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Inversely there was very little to read about Renee Walker, like with the Minyard twins there was no footage of her using her abilities and other than her single page bio on the official Hero registry there was nothing to read about her and as far as Neil could tell, up until eight years ago she didn't exist. Neil knew exactly what a false identity looked like when he saw one and this one didn't seem to be all that skillfully crafted either. So she had a past but up until now no one had cared enough about the rescue hero "Omen" to look into it.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"They're all out on patrol right now, but don't worry we're going to meet them at Abby's place tonight for dinner," Nicky said.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The first floor was a pretty standard lobby, though it was pretty sparsely furnished and there was a very noticeable fist-sized hole in the drywall that had been covered with a large poster of Kevin in an attempt to hide it but the tape on one of the corners failed and so it hung loosely, revealing the damage. Neil wondered how many similar faults were hidden underneath the rest of the promotional posters. Nicky chattered about the history of the building and the designer and architect that had helped build it but Neil didn't really care so he wasn't listening.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Wymack's personal office was also on the first floor, door closed with the sound of muffled talking / yelling coming from it, indicating Wymack's meeting was not yet over.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Oh. Great." </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Loving that enthusiasm Neil." Nicky laughed. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Sorry, it's just a lot to take in."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Totally understandable, but we don't mind helping you out while you get your feet under you and get situated here."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Right… Thanks Nicky."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"So, on with the tour?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Yeah."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The only other important thing about the first floor was a second door around the back by the elevator and stairwell.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"This is our entrance, Agency locks up at 9 every night but we have 24/7 access in case we want to get in after hours for whatever reason." Nicky said. "Door code changes every couple months, but Coach always lets us know when it does. Right now it's 0508. May and August, get it? Coach and Abby's birth months. Told you they were boning. When's your birthday?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span> "It was in March," Neil lied.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span> "Oh, we missed it. But we recruited you in April, so that should count as the world's greatest present. What'd your girlfriend get you?" Neil looked at him. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"What?" </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Come on, cute face like yours has to have a girlfriend. Unless you swing my way, of course, in which case please tell me now and save me the trouble of having to figure it out." Neil stared at him, wondering why Nicky would care about such things and felt a little prickle of irritation that he smothered like the sparks of fire. He really needed to get used to the shallowness of regular people. Nicky it seemed, was especially interested in such superficial topics.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"What's it matter?" he asked. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I'm curious," Nicky said.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"He means nosey," Aaron said. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I don't swing either way," Neil said dismissively. "Let's keep going." </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Bullshit," Nicky said. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I don't," Neil said, and impatience put an edge in his voice. It wasn't quite the truth, but it was close enough. "Are we going or not?" </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Success."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>As if on cue, Andrew appeared in the doorway with a bottle of whiskey in one hand and cigarette in the other, Kevin at his back.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>While it was certainly possible that both of the Minyard twins had a smoking habit Neil didn't believe it and in the time they had been showing him the building Neil hadn't gotten a single whiff of cigarette smoke off Aaron or his clothes, which considering Neil had watched him smoke an entire cigarette at the airport seemed impossible. Which could only mean one thing. It wasn't Aaron who picked Neil up from the airport after all. He had never said that he was Aaron either but their differences in demeanor was the noted way of differentiating them and it was obvious that they had been counting on Neil to make the same assumption everyone else apparently did. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Andrew wasn't cheerful naturally; his mania was drug-induced and court regulated. Two years ago some men attacked Nicky outside of a nightclub. Andrew was within his rights to defend Nicky, but he'd almost killed the four of them. The courts thought his violence to be a gross overreaction and tried to charge him. His lawyers (and presumably Wymack) struck a deal instead: Andrew would become a hero, like some kind of court mandated community service and on top of that he would attend weekly counseling, and take medication. After three years of this they'd let him off his medication long enough to assess his progress and gauge his efforts and accomplishments as a hero. Sobriety at any point before that was a violation of his parole. If Wymack, Andrew's current psychiatrist, or anyone in the HPSC suspected Andrew wasn't following the rules, they could request a urinalysis. If Andrew failed he'd be charged.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Andrew only had to hold out through spring, but apparently he couldn't wait that long. Neil couldn't believe Andrew would even risk sobriety when the consequences were literally being sent to prison. He wondered if his arrival had to do with it, if Andrew wanted to meet his newest teammate without a hazy mind, or if Andrew just hated spending his summer break drugged to the gills. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Ready to keep going Neil?" Nicky asked. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Why?" Neil pointed at the liquor. "Is this a robbery in progress?" </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Maybe it is. Will you tell Coach on us?" Andrew asked, sounding entertained by the notion. "So much for being a team player. I guess you really are a Fox." </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"No," Neil said, "but I would ask him why you're not medicated." There was a heartbeat of startled silence. The only one who didn't react was Andrew; even Kevin looked surprised. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Nicky was the first to find his tongue, but he reverted to German to ask Aaron, </span>
  <em>
    <span>"Am I crazy? Did I just see that happen?" </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>"Don't look at me,"</span>
  </em>
  <span> Aaron said. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I'd prefer an answer in English," Neil said. Andrew put a thumb to the corner of his mouth and dragged it along his lips to erase his smile. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"That sounds like an accusation, but I didn't lie to you." </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Omission is the easiest way to lie," Neil said. "You could have corrected me." </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Could have, didn't," Andrew said. "Figure it out for yourself." </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I did," Neil said. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"And? Do you want a prize? Some consolatory medal congratulating you for seeing through our mean nasty trick of not telling you who was picking you up from the airport?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I just don't like surprises."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span> "Better get used to them."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Neil knew he was just being intentionally irritating at this point so he just turned and walked up the stairs to the next level, not waiting to see if his "tour guides" were following.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The second floor was a large hallway leading off in two separate directions. The wall was brick that had been painted over white with the word FOXES painted in the same blinding orange that had been used on the outside. There was one door right in front of the elevators but it seemed to require a key so Neil kept going, trotting down the hallway in one direction to find a door labeled "MEN" and unsurprisingly found one marked "WOMEN" on the other end of the hall. The halls seemed to form one big square around whatever the center room was, Neil was sure he would see it in time so he kept going up the stairs,</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>On the third floor was a lounge. Three chairs and two couches took up most of the space, forming a semicircle around an entertainment center. The TV was obscenely large and osted above the TV on the wall was a list of sports and news channels. The rest of the walls were covered in photographs. Some of them were official: team photos, snapshots of the Foxes' accomplishments, and pictures obviously clipped from newspapers. The majority of the pictures looked like they'd been taken by one of the Foxes themselves. These were scattered anywhere they could fit and held up by tape. Taking up one entire corner was a clump of photos featuring the Foxes' three ladies. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span> Neil's mental picture of Danielle was that of an aggressive and unrelenting woman, but the pictures he was looking at undermined that impression. Danielle was smiling in every photo, a toothy grin that was equal parts menace and mirth. Nicky, who it seemed </span>
  <em>
    <span>had</span>
  </em>
  <span> chosen to follow Neil upstairs after all, noticed his distraction and tapped the faces in the closest photograph. "Dan, Renee, and Allison. Dan's good people, but she'll work you to the bone. Allison's a catty bitch you should avoid at all costs. Renee's a sweetheart. Be nice to her." </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Or else?" Neil asked, because he could hear it in Nicky's tone. Nicky only smiled and shrugged. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The only uncovered wall in the lounge was the one made of glass that was opposite of the TV. It overlooked a massive gym and training space that stretched up and out and seemed to take up most of the building. This must have been what was inside the door on the second floor. He peered through the windows to try and see what kind of facilities they had but couldn't distinguish much.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Neil followed Nicky out of the lounge. A hallway led from the lounge past a door with a simple red cross on it. The next three floors were taken up by the gym and finally on the seventh floor were bedrooms and a kitchen and dining room. Unease over being so high off the ground distracted him from hearing any of the words Nicky had to say. He preferred staying to lower levels so he could make an easy escape if need be. Jumping out the window here was definitely out of the question. He did a quick search for any and all fire escapes but there was just the one and a door that led out to the roof.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Each of the bedrooms was set up more like a small apartment; with a bathroom, bed, closet and kitchenette but only one was obviously in use at the moment. Wymack's door was locked and covered with newspaper articles, team photos, outdated calendars, and miscellaneous sticky notes. Neil felt slightly more comfortable knowing that where he was staying would have a lock and was entirely separate from Wymack. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Neil jumped when the elevator dinged suddenly and out walked Andrew, Aaron, Kevin and Wymack. Andrew's smile was back, bright and vacant and the whiskey bottle they had managed to procure was nowhere to be seen. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Clad in jean shorts and a faded tee, Wymack looked more like a garage band rocker than a professional hero. Neil guessed he didn't have to look presentable on his home turf, but it was still disorienting. Wymack gave Neil a once-over and nodded. "I see you made it all right. I was pretty sure Nicky's driving was going to get you killed." </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Neil felt Nicky watching him and said, "I've survived worse." </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"There is no surviving worse driving than that idiot's," Wymack said. "There's just open casket or closed." </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Hey, hey," Nicky said. "That's not fair." </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Life isn't fair, tweedle-dumb. Get over it. What are you doing here?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I was giving Neil a tour! Showing him where he was going to be staying!" Nicky explained and when Wymack looked to Neil to verify this story he nodded.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Jeez, Coach, what kind of people do you think we are?" Nicky asked. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Do you really want me to answer that?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span> "We're taking him on a test drive. See what he can do." Andrew said suddenly. "We can give him a lift to Abby's after. You didn't need him, did you?" </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Wymack looked distrustful, looking between the five younger men before sighing and fishing something out of his pocket. "Just to give him this," Wymack said, and Neil snagged the keys tossed his way. There were two rings looped together, two keys on one and three on the other. Neil eyed them as Wymack ticked them off on his fingers. "Long key is for when the building closes at night, small one is for your room right here." He indicated one of the empty rooms and continued "The others are for the training space downstairs, outer door, gear room and your locker. I assume you saw it."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I did. Thank you," Neil confirmed, clenching his fingers tight enough around them he could feel the teeth digging into his palm. He felt steadier with them in his hand. It didn't matter where he was sleeping or what tricks Andrew was up to.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Blatant favoritism, Coach," Andrew said. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"If you ever did any training of your own volition, maybe I'd give you a set too," Wymack said. "Since I don't see that happening anytime this lifetime or next, you can shut up and share with Kevin." </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Oh, joy, joy," Andrew said. "My excited face begins now. Can we go now?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Get out," Wymack said, and Andrew vanished. Kevin and Aaron followed. When Nicky reached the office doorway, Wymack put a hand in his path to stop him. "Don't you dare traumatize him his first day here." Nicky looked from Wymack to Neil. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Neil's not traumatized, right?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Not yet," Neil said. After a moment's debate, he shrugged his bag off his shoulder. The thought of leaving it behind made his skin crawl, considering what was hidden inside it, but he didn't trust Andrew's intentions. Neil didn't know why Andrew was sober or why he'd picked Neil up from the airport when it now seemed Wymack had tasked Nicky with that responsibility, but he didn't think Andrew was done playing yet. Neil trusted Wymack more than he did Andrew right now and hoped he wasn't making a mistake. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He put his bag in the empty dresser and felt an ugly feeling in his stomach. A feeling like falling, no ground beneath his feet and utterly without control. Neil wasn't usually this unstable but then, he'd never let the situation get so completely out of hand, either. On the run his mother had always stayed in control, weaving the perfect stories and choosing ideal marks to help them. Neil had fumbled his way through his transition to Millport, but he could have cut and run at any time if he didn't like the way things were going. This, he desperately wanted to make work, for however long he could hold onto it. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>So he forced out an unsteady breath and shut the dresser door, locking the room behind him. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Better hurry before Andrew sends someone looking for you," Wymack said.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Thank you," he said. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Move along," Wymack said.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Neil gets foxy</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>The others were waiting for him in the hallway. Neil buried his hands in his pockets and walked to meet them. Andrew led his cousins and Kevin to the elevator while Neil closed the door and locked it behind him. The elevator car arrived only seconds after Neil rejoined them, and they filed inside and Nicky slapped a hand on his back, grinning wide. "Alright! Now let's get you looking foxy!" Which filled Neil with cold dread.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The elevator let them out on the second floor and Kevin led the way into the locker room marked "MEN". The lockers were predictably bright orange, as well as the bathroom stalls and paw wall motif that persisted even here. The lockers were large enough to fit any and all types of costumes and support gear and the hero name was written at the top of each one. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"MOMENTUM" had been a split second choice when Wymack asked what his hero name, Neil hadn't exactly put much thought into it other than Wymack thought his quirk was super speed so his name should have something to do with that. He hadn't really come to terms with the permanence of that decision until he saw it on the top of his locker.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Andrew straddled one of the benches and dug a bottle of pills out of his pocket. Aaron handed Kevin the whiskey they'd snitched. Kevin brought it to Andrew, waited while Andrew shook a pill onto the bench in front of him, and traded him the whiskey for the pill bottle. The medicine disappeared into one of Kevin's pockets, and Andrew swallowed the pill with an impressive swig of whiskey.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Through the doorway at the back Neil could see sinks and he assumed the showers were around the corner out of sight. He was more interested in the locker that had his name on it. Using the key Wymack had given him he unlocked it. There were five outfits for workouts and a simple white and orange costume. Neil felt the fabric between his fingers, it was like nothing he had ever felt before and was quietly marveling how light it felt when Kevin suddenly spoke from behind him once more, and again Neil flinched and spun around to glare at him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"The material is made to withstand enormous friction without heating up or wearing out."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Can you stop doing that?" Neil asked irritably.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Doing what?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Sneaking up on me. I don't like being startled."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Then you should pay more attention to your surroundings. I'm not exactly trying to be stealthy." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Neil gave up on the conversation and turned back to the costume that had been specially made for him. It was white from the legs up and then a straight orange line cut across at the hip at a sharp angle and then another at a slightly different angle, more and more lines blending together until it was solid orange. It looked like he had been caught and tangled up in a mess of bright orange caution tape, but Neil didn't have any design specifications when Wymack had asked other than it be long sleeved. Honestly it could have been the ugliest costume in the world and Neil would still love it because it was </span>
  <em>
    <span>his</span>
  </em>
  <span>. It had been made for him and with it he could be a hero. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was a reality he hadn't let himself think about until now and in this moment it finally came together and solidified. He was going to be a hero. He was going to save people even if it got him found. Even if it got him killed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Coach said you didn't care what it looked like so unfortunately as you can see they gave you the agency colors. You poor soul, but that's what you get for saying you don't care what your costume looks like."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I like it." Neil mumbled.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span> Neil didn't require much support gear since running was pretty straight forward, other than shoes and a pair of goggles. Cleats designed for high speeds were at the bottom of the locker and a pair of white goggles with orange lenses hung from a hook. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>One more thing inside the locker was something neon orange and shrink-wrapped, and Neil carefully pulled it out to examine it. It opened to reveal a windbreaker that was almost brighter than the stadium paint. "FOXES" and "MOMENTUM" were printed on the back in reflective material. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Satellites can pick these up in outer space," he said. Nicky laughed at that.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Dan commissioned them her first year here. She said she was tired of everyone trying to look past us. People want to pretend people like us don't exist, you know? Everyone hopes we're someone else's problem to solve." He reached out and fingered the material. "They don't understand, so they don't know where to start. They feel overwhelmed and give up before they've taken the first step." Nicky gave himself a small shake and smiled, melancholy instantly replaced by cheer. “Now come on, let's see what you can do, speedy." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Neil pulled out what he needed and brought it to the bathroom. Changing out in a stall was awkward and uncomfortable, but he'd done it so many times he had it down to an art form. The costume had a zipper down the chest like a wetsuit and he stepped into it. It was </span>
  <em>
    <span>tight</span>
  </em>
  <span>, clinging to his body like practically a second skin. He understood that it was to reduce drag and increase aerodynamics but he felt strangely self conscious. He ran a hand down his chest but he couldn't feel any of his scars through the thick material and relaxed marginally.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He pulled thin cotton gloves on after that, snapping them closed just above his elbows, and strapped arm guards onto his forearms. Finally he stepped out of the stall and pulled his bangs up with the goggles. Even he didn't hate what he saw when he saw his reflection in the bathroom mirror, and with his dyed hair and contacts he could almost convince himself he wasn't him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Damn okay, I take back what I said about that costume. You make that fuckin' work, damn Neil. You sure you don't swing because-"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You have a fiance." Aaron cut Nicky off with a sharp elbow to the side. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"How does it feel?" Kevin asked, and he was actually floating just a few inches off the floor. He was already the tallest in the room there was really no need for him to do that.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"It feels… Tight."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You're telling me," Nicky said and once again Aaron elbowed him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"We have talcum powder if you need it." Kevin said, ignoring Nicky.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"No that's okay. Let's just do this."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Follow." It sounded like an order when Kevin said it but even though his tone irritated Neil he followed after him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kevin led them to the locked door Neil had seen when he first explored the second floor and opened it with a key on his key ring. Andrew was noticeably absent but Neil was fine with that. Having an audience of three was enough pressure already. The training facility was massive, the ceiling went all the way up to the sixth floor and glass walls all around flooded the room with natural sunlight. The facility was too old to have been built specifically because of Kevin's transfer but the whole layout seemed to cater him specifically. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kevin Day had inherited his mother's quirk, a quirk fittingly titled Daylight. The cells of their body could absorb and metabolize solar energy from the sun like a living solar battery that absorbs solar energies and converts them to fuel for flight. And as if on instinct Kevin floated up off the ground, soaking in the sun around him with a contented sigh.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There was an artificial mountain that reached high up toward the ceiling for rock climbing and practice on rough terrain, there was a lap pool, a full gym equipped with weights and machines for weight lifting and muscle training, an obstacle course and circling around it all was a track. Nicky handed Neil a watch and explained that it would measure his speed and number of laps better than any person could and Neil obediently strapped it to his wrist.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Neil took his place on the track, trying to force himself to focus on running and not the anxiety that seemed to sit in his gut like lead. He was going to have to be even more careful with his powers than before because he was going to be watched much closer than before. If anyone suspected he had more than one quirk he would have to run. There was only one direction those questions would lead and the forged identity of Neil Josten wasn't strong enough to hold up to that kind of scrutiny.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He spent most of his time actively suppressing the multiple quirks he had and as a result he could barely use any of them. Two of them he had gotten just last year as things spiraled out of control and Neil had to take more lives. Mary didn't understand Neil's hesitation, she wanted him to be ruthless like she was. Mary's quirk also let her use the quirk's of other people, she just had to steal an item from them and keep it with her. As long as she had that item with her she could use that person's quirk as much as she liked, leaving her victim quirkless until she stole someone else's quirk or lost the stolen item.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She had always been brutally honest about what would have happened to Neil if he had remained with his father. He would force him to kill more and more people to learn the limits of Neil's quirk and understand how Momento Mori, <em>Mary's name for Neil's quirk</em>, worked. Mary didn't force Neil to kill but she still thought of him as soft when he couldn't do what it took to survive. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Speed was the first quirk Neil got after Cypher and so he had the most experience using it. Which admittedly still wasn't much, but apparently it had been enough for Wymack. Neil wondered if he messed this demonstration up badly enough if Wymack would cancel his contract. Ask for his keys back and send Neil packing after less than a day. It was such a horrible thought Neil almost started laughing from panic. He wouldn't. Wymack didn't give up on people. Not even people who couldn't properly control a simple quirk they supposedly had their entire life.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Neil's thoughts were racing now, spiraling so badly he didn't realize how long he had just been standing on the track, still in start position. He had to do </span>
  <em>
    <span>something</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Prove he was worth investing in. All he had to do was run. It was simple, running was what he did best after all. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Taking a final deep breath to steady himself Neil pulled his goggles down over his eyes and counted down from three in his head. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>3…</span>
</p><p>
  <span>2… </span>
</p><p>
  <span>1… </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He took off.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Right now he could go from zero to sixty speed in 1.2 seconds but with the curves of the track he couldn't go his max speed, he had to hold back so he didn't crash into anything. It got harder to stay in control the faster he went just like with any high speed vehicle. He circled the track a few times in as many seconds he finally started to fall into a rhythm, getting a feel for the track and where the curves were so he started to speed up. Building up momentum he could feel himself approaching the speed of sound. He had broken that barrier once or twice when he was running away so he knew he could do it. He pushed himself to go faster and faster until there was that explosive sonic boom at his feet as he broke the sound barrier. Satisfied with that he let himself start to slow. Just like speeding up he couldn't stop suddenly, he had to gradually slow or he would eat shit and be left a smear on the pavement.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He was grinning triumphantly and out of breath when he finally came to a stop in front of the other three men. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Geez Neil, how bout a warning next time? You're lucky we had Aaron here or you would have blown out all our eardrums." Nicky complained, hands still over his ears, possibly just to demonstrate his point. Neil didn't know what Aaron's powers were but apparently they had something to do with canceling out sound?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Sorry." Neil said, suddenly bashful.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kevin was scowling. "Is that it?" He demanded.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What?" Neil asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I said, is that it? Are you holding back or is that honestly the fastest you think you can go?" Kevin's feet were back on the ground now and he strode toward Neil until he was looking down at him with those unnaturally bright green eyes. "I know seven-year-olds with better control of their quirk than you, so are you afraid of it or have you just never taken anything seriously in your life?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Unfortunately Neil had inherited his father's temper and as anger, embarrassment and frustration boiled in his stomach he didn't stop to think before throwing a punch at Kevin. Kevin caught the punch with one hand, his grip like solid stone as he squeezed Neil's fist and tossed Neil a good 20 yards. The flooring and his costume did some to cushion his landing but not much. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"</span>
  <em>
    <span>Fuck you</span>
  </em>
  <span>." Neil snarled, his vision swimming red with anger but before he could lunge at that prick again there was suddenly a new man putting his body between him and Kevin. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Neil recognized him as Matt Boyd and he was holding his hands up between the two of them and saying "Whoa, easy easy." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>A hand appeared in his field of vision and Neil looked up to see Danielle Wilds offering to help a hand up. It appeared like the rest of the Foxes had finally made their appearance. Wildfire, Hold Fast, Princess Cut and Omen were all here, still in full costume like they had just come from patrol. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Good to see you're making the new guy feel welcome Kevin." Dan said sarcastically.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I was telling the truth, it's not my fault he didn't like how it sounded."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Oh yeah we all know how the truth sounds coming from you Kevin. News flash, whatever earth shattering revelation you think you're delivering he probably already knows it and doesn't need to hear it from you. So just back off alright?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"If he doesn't focus on his shortcomings he'll never improve." Kevin insisted. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"</span>
  <em>
    <span>He</span>
  </em>
  <span> is leaving." Neil said through gritted teeth, shouldering past the other heroes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"So, who put money on him starting a fight on the first day? Me, Matt and Aaron?" Allison asked as he stormed off.</span>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <span>"Are you running away?" A voice asked from above him. Neil looked up to see Andrew hanging off the staircase with a glassy smile on his face. "Run run run as fast as fast you can <em>runaway</em>," Neil didn't bother to slow down, he just kept walking until he was outside the building and then he was running. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was different than on the track, he didn't have to hold back or be in control. He could just </span>
  <em>
    <span>run, </span>
  </em>
  <span>full throttle. He ran until the only thing he couldn't remember what Kevin had said or truth in his words, he ran until the only thing he could think about was moving his legs and forcing his lungs to pump oxygen into his blood. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He had apparently crossed the border into Georgia without realizing it and when he finally could stop running he was just a little south of Augusta and the sun was setting. Too late he realized that he had left his things. His </span>
  <em>
    <span>binder. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>He probably would have gone back regardless. One argument wasn't enough to make him quit but there was still a humiliation about having to return to the same place he had stormed out of to throw a childish tantrum. He allowed himself just a few moments by the side of the road to cradle his head in his hands and wallow in his own bad decisions before he got back to his feet. He was too exhausted to run all the way back, his legs were shaking just from standing so he walked slowly and painfully back toward the interstate and flagged down the first car he saw heading northbound.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>People were much more willing to pull over for someone in a hero costume than for a homeless looking teenager it turns out.  The third car he tried to flag down pulled over and in a remarkable stroke of luck it turns out she was going to Columbia and in the time it took to drive there Neil will have rested enough to run the rest of the way back to the Agency. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Neil had hitchhiked like this before from New Mexico to Phoenix. He never forgot that he was still in a stranger's car but he had done this enough that he had it down to routine. The drive passed relatively easily and she left him at a truck stop outside Springdale and pulled out with a friendly honk. From there Neil ran along the main road back to Palmetto and retraced his steps back to the Foxhole Agency.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>By the time he arrived it was half past four in the morning. He didn't think he would be using his building key so early but he fished the keyring out of the only pockets in his costume, which were discreetly sewn into the forearm braces in each arm. The Agency was dark except for the emergency lights. Neil had broken into enough places to know how it felt when he didn't belong somewhere, and even though he had been given a set of keys he still felt a wash of shame as he stepped inside. He had hoped to sneak into the locker room and at least change out of his costume before encountering any of the other Foxes but Wymack wrenched the door of his office open like he wanted to take it off his hinges. Surprise quickly replaced the fury on his face when he saw Neil. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Where the hell have you been?" Wymack demanded, looking Neil up and down. "Dan told me you got into a fight with Kevin and then just took off." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I went for a run to clear my head."</span>
</p><p>
  <span> "Where'd you run to? Florida?" </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Georgia," Neil said, and Wymack stared at him. Neil realized too late Wymack was being sarcastic. He couldn't take it back, so Neil traced his path in the air with a finger. "I stopped just a little south of Augusta I think but then I was too tired to run all the way back so I hitchhiked to Columbia and then ran back from there." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Wymack scrubbed his eyes and then slowly dragged his hands down his face, looking up toward the sky as if begging some deity for the strength. "Are you stupid or just crazy? This is an actual question. I am asking. Do you have any idea what could have happened to you between here and there? What were you thinking? You should have called me," Wymack ranted, not giving Neil space to reply. "Me or Abby or any of the others. Any of us would have come and gotten you." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Neil stared at him, too startled to respond with anything other than "I don't have a phone."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Wymack threw his hands up in exaggerated disgust. "Go get changed."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"My things…" Neil realized that the way he left they could have thought he was never coming back. It had only been eight hours but they could have already written Neil off just another Fox failure. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Runaway</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Andrew's words before he sped out echoed in his ears and he felt sick.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Still in your locker. Christ kid, I ain't gonna toss your things and clear out your room after less than 24 hours. I was holding out hope that because you left your bag here it meant you'd still come back and would you look at that, I was right."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Oh. Thank you."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Go. And shower while you're at it, you reek."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Right. Thank you." He repeated. </span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>the more things change the more they stay the same...</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>exposition time</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>sorry for disappearing school has been rough</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>"There he is. The runaway." Andrew was grinning when Neil entered the room and Neil flinched. Most of the foxes were gathered in Wymack's office so he could explain the patrol rotations and the changes that were being made. Just as soon as he arrived. The foxes were all gathered, most of them in costume, but Wymack was notably absent.</span>
</p><p>
  <span> Neil still felt trepidation in the pit of his stomach at the thought of facing the others after the way he left things yesterday, but aside from Andrew's jab, no one seemed too interested in Neil. This morning Wymack had told him that the meeting mostly pertained to him and sensing Neil’s hesitation made it clear this wasn’t optional.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"So did you get it all out of your system?" Andrew asked from where he sat situated between his twin and Kevin, spinning a blade that appeared to be made of solid light between his fingers. "No, of course not. Because it's in your blood." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Shut up." Neil hissed. "You don't know anything about me." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Not yet, but in my experience people like you have something they're running from." There was nothing he could say to that so he pointedly ignored him and joined the others in waiting for Wymack.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Neil had never actually been on a proper patrol; his hero license was just a fake he kept in case people started asking too many questions. Of course the Foxes didn't know that. They thought he was the acting hero in Millport, and it was just such a small town that he just didn't have any real experience. It wasn't technically a lie. There were no licensed heroes in the area, which was probably why the video of him rescuing those people from the fire (that he started) went so viral. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He would just have to play up the whole inexperienced hero thing until he had a better idea of who these people were and what the foxes were all about. From what little he had seen of them interacting together he had no idea how they could possibly function as a team.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Wymack finally entered the room looking haggard and deeply annoyed. He snapped his fingers to get everyone's attention then pointed to Dan and said,  "TV. Now."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The TV was already tuned to a news station when Dan turned it on and the faces on the screen were enough to make the room go silent. Riko and Tetsuji Moriyama were on screen, Riko smiling charismatically as he talked to the host with Tetsuji sentinel-like behind him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"-I am eager to see how Kevin has grown in the time we've been apart. The fact that he has been able to get anything done at such an outdated agency is a testament to Kevin's perseverance and commitment to his mother's legacy." Riko was saying. All the blood had left Kevin’s face and Andrew had a tight grip on his thigh. "The Foxhole Court is practically analog, they barely even have a website. I've heard that anything more technologically advanced than a toaster isn't allowed in the agency building itself. I can only imagine what a difficult transition that must have been for Kevin, going from one of the most advanced computer networks in the world at the Nest to rotary cards and logbooks." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Riko," Tetsuji said softly, cutting Riko off and even through the television Neil could see the way Riko straightened, like a dog that's just been told to heel. "We are all looking forward to our collaboration with the Foxhole Court and to see how Kevin has progressed in his time away from the Nest."</span>
</p><p>
  <span> Neil watched their interaction keenly, curious to see the way their power dynamic played out, but what was even more interesting was the way the foxes reacted. Most of them looked furious, with the exception of Renee and Andrew who were intentionally blank faced, and Kevin who looked shaken to his very core. Not the reaction Neil expected. He knew Kevin had a history with the Ravens but he was also prideful to a fault. Neil didn't think he was the type to take shit talking to heart. Clearly there was more happening so he sat back and watched the aftermath of the interview playout before him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Allison was first to her feet, pointing at the now muted television and demanding "</span>
  <em>
    <span>Explain</span>
  </em>
  <span>." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dan was next, agreeing with the taller girl. "Yeah! Why the hell would you agree to work with those pieces of shit, coach?!"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Wymack grimaced. "I didn't! They didn't consult anyone before they made that announcement. They knew we would tell them where they could stick it if they ever made a formal team up request."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"So they figured we couldn't say no if they just announced it publicly like it was already a thing." Allison finished, with a positively murderous expression.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"More or less."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"That's hardly a surprise. We all know Riko's favorite tactic is taking away a person's ability to say no." Andrew said with a deceptively blank look on his face, but he had another blade made of light in his hands, spinning it slowly between two fingers. His eyes were on Kevin who looked like he was about to start hyperventilating.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kevin  stood up sharply, announced "I need a drink," and disappeared from the room. Andrew made a disapproving click of his tongue and followed behind him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You can't drink, we're about to go on patrol!" Dan snapped, but he was already gone and she had a few choice words for him, none of them complimentary.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Neil looked around the room of heroes and raised an eyebrow. "Am I missing something?" He asked finally, and Wymack gave him an apologetic look.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I was hoping to give you a little more time to settle in before springing all this bullshit on you. Short answer is it's a mess." He gave a pointed look to the rest of the foxes, who took the cue to file out of the room. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What I'm about to tell you is an open secret. That is, we know it," he waved a finger in a circle, likely meaning the Foxes, "but no one outside our team does. It has to stay that way no matter what, do you understand? People could get hurt if this gets out. People could die." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You're stalling, Coach." Wymack folded his arms across his chest and stared at Neil.</span>
</p><p>
  <span> "Do you know why Kevin came to the Foxhole Court?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"He was injured," Neil said. "There was a fight with a villain and he was put out of commission. No offense but he was the second ranked hero in America before his injury. When he transferred to a no name agency out in the middle of nowhere most people assumed it was because his contract with the Ravens had been terminated." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I brought him here," Wymack said slowly. "He showed up at my hotel room at the winter conference out of nowhere, a total bloody mess. He didn't want us to notify the Ravens or take him to a hospital, so Abby bandaged him up as best she could and I put him on the bus back to South Carolina with us." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"That doesn't make sense," Neil said. "The villain he fought was in Tokyo-" </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"He wasn't in Tokyo," Wymack cut him off. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Neil stared blankly at him, and finally asked the question Wymack was waiting for him to ask. "Then who was he fighting?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"The Hero Commission has an end-of-year meeting a few days before the southeastern district's winter conference when they announce the current rankings. There was a lot of speculation about Riko and Kevin's rankings. Riko has always been number one and Kevin was his number two. That's the way it's been since they came on the pro scene, but there were reporters who said they were sure Riko was holding Kevin back, that Kevin was selling himself short so as not to outshine Riko. They wanted to know if it was Tetsuji's doing. In response Moriyama pitted Riko and Kevin against each other. Riko won," Wymack said, "but he obviously lost control because Kevin barely made it out with his life. When he showed up on my doorstep he was about an inch from hell."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was like getting punched in the gut. "What?" </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Wymack dragged his thumb along the back of his hand, tracing the path of Kevin's injury. "Kevin doesn't talk about his time at Evermore, but I could tell it wasn't the first time Riko or Moriyama laid a hand on him. It was just the first time Kevin was smart enough to pack his bags and walk away. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Hah</span>
  </em>
  <span>. So much for family, hm?" </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I don't believe in family." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Neither do I." Wymack meant it. Neil finally understood that look Wymack sent him in Millport, that perfect understanding that undid Neil's defenses. He searched his face, looking for the story behind that exhaustion. Whatever broke Wymack happened so long ago he wasn't even bitter over it anymore, but he was definitely still cracked if he poured so much time into the Foxhole Court. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Why doesn't anyone else know what Riko did?" Neil asked. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Learning the truth is easy, kid, doing something with it is the hard part. But the short answer is because Riko is a Moriyama," Wymack said tiredly. "This is where it starts getting messy." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He thought for a minute, then held up his index fingers. "Alright so, the Moriyama family is broken in half: the main family and the branch family. The main consists of the first-born sons and the branch is for everyone else. Coach Moriyama—Tetsuji—heads the branch family and his older brother Kengo heads the main. Kengo has two sons, Ichirou and Riko. Because Ichirou was born first, he stayed with Kengo in the main family. Riko was born second, so Tetsuji became his legal guardian and Riko became part of the branch family. Follow?" </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I think so." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"The families are estranged," Wymack said. "Kengo and the main family are up in New York City, where Kengo is CEO of an international trading company. One day he'll pass the business to Ichirou. Tetsuji and Riko get a kickback of the profits, but they're considered unimportant and have no say in any business decisions. That's how Tetsuji had the freedom to become a hero and build an agency. So long as he doesn't do anything to damage the family's reputation, he is free to do what he likes. This all is public knowledge." Neil looked past Wymack at the door, thinking of Kevin's freak-out. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"And the truth?" </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"The real Moriyama family business is murder." Neil shot a quick look at him. Wymack held up a hand to ward off any questions, his expression grim. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"The Moriyamas are an immigrated yakuza group. Do you know what the yakuza are? They're Japanese mafia. Kengo's father brought the group to America a couple decades ago and set up shop up north. The only real difference between Yakuza and your garden variety criminal or villain is their code of chivalry that they take incredibly seriously. They consider themselves more honorable than just a regular villain and look down on heroes and villains alike. Over in Japan the majority of Yakuza factions were systematically dismantled due to becoming recognized as Villain organizations, the same way most gangs and organized crime families have been here. Back when they immigrated they had considerably more power, but nowadays most people consider the Yakuza and gangsters to be small-time thugs on the brink of extinction and know the Moriyama name through Tetsuji and Riko." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Wymack interpreted his long silence as fear. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I'm telling you this because everyone else here already knows the story from Kevin, but don't worry about the yakuza. Like I said, they're basically hasbeens clinging to a bygone era. The ones we have to worry about are Tetsuji and Riko. And we happen to have something of theirs."</span>
</p><p>
  <span> "Kevin," Neil said. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I'd hoped they'd thrown him away," Wymack said. "Edgar Allen had to release Kevin from his contract because of the severity of his injuries and Tetsuji didn't argue when I took Kevin on here. I thought they were ready to let him go. But Tetsuji didn't take Kevin in out of the goodness of his heart. He raised Kevin to be a star. He put a lot of time and money into Kevin's development as a hero. As far as Tetsuji is considered, Kevin is valuable property. Any profit Kevin makes is rightfully the Moriyamas'." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"But Kevin's handicapped. He's not ranked in the top 10 anymore." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"He's still a name," Wymack said. A name attached to one of the most famous heroes of all time, Kayleigh Day. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"He wants Kevin back?" </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"If he wanted Kevin to transfer, he'd just say so," Wymack said. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Kevin wouldn't really go back," Neil said, disbelieving. "Not after what Riko did." Wymack gave him a pitying look. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Tetsuji never formally adopted Kevin. Do you know why? Moriyamas don't believe in outsiders or equals. Tetsuji took Kevin in and took over his training, but he also gave Kevin to Riko—literally. Kevin isn't human to them. He's a project. He's a pet, and it's Riko's name on his leash. The fact he ran away is a miracle. If Tetsuji called tomorrow and told him to come home, Kevin would. He knows what Tetsuji would do to him if he refused. He'd be too afraid to say no." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Neil thought he'd be sick. He didn't want to hear anymore of this; he'd already heard too much. He wanted to run until it all started making sense in his head, or at least until the ice left his veins. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Then why set up a team up?" </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"The Moriyamas are ready to cash in on their investment," Wymack said. "No one honestly expects Kevin to make a comeback, but he signed with us anyways. His arrogance is inspiring, and this year he's still a star. If he can't keep up and perform, the fans and critics will move on and forget about him. Tetsuji thinks he'll burn out, so he has to seize the moment now. Tetsuji is pitting Riko and Kevin against each other knowing how it'll end. He'll let his Ravens show off, humiliate us and establish Riko as the superior hero forever, and relegate Kevin to the has-beens." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Neil swallowed hard. "So what are we going to do?" Wymack was quiet for an endless minute, then said, </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"We're going to show them what happens when you back a fox with nothing to lose into a corner, and what a real hero looks like."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Wymack half-turned away. "I need to make sure Kevin's not drinking himself to death out there. He was supposed to show you the ropes for your first patrol but now I'll be lucky if he can walk a straight line. I probably don't need to say this but everything I just told you is in confidence. If we tried to talk about any of this, Tetsuji would hit us with a slander lawsuit faster than you can say 'cease and desist'."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I don't have anyone to tell it to." Neil replied with a shrug. Wymack gave him a sad look and nodded.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Fair enough. Now go get dressed, you still got to patrol and then we're meeting at Abby's place for dinner after. We can talk more then, if you've still got questions."</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. GLOSSARY</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Everyone's quirks and rankings for future reference</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p><b>NEIL JOSTEN</b>: </p><p> </p><p></p><blockquote>
  <p><b>QUIRK</b> : <em> Memento Mori </em>─  The ability to steal the powers of people he's killed.  When he kills a person he has a seizure. (Length of seizure depends on age of person killed) It is unknown if there is a limit to the number of quirks Neil can possess or the stress having multiple quirks puts on the body or if the quirks will go away after a length of time.</p>
  <ul>
<ul>
<li>
<b><em>Cypher: </em></b>The user can comprehend any written or spoken language</li>
<li>
<b><em>Enhanced speed</em></b>:  Can run at heightened speed, maxing at 350 mph. </li>
<li>
<b><em>Ignore:</em></b> While holding his breath, the user becomes "invisible", becoming completely undetectable by sight, hearing, touch in person but still completely visible to cameras and other technology. When holding his breath his presence is simply overlooked by people in proximity without being consciously aware of it. However, he can still be tracked by his scent</li>
<li>
<b><em>Phasing</em></b>:  The ability to pass through solid matter by allowing the molecules of their body to travel through the space between the molecules of whatever solid they are traveling through.  </li>
<li>
<b>Mood Ring: </b> The owner of this quirk's eyes change color based on their mood. </li>
</ul>
</ul>
  <p><b>HERO NAME</b> :  <em> Momentum<br/></em> <b>HERO RANK</b>:  Unranked</p>
</blockquote><p> </p><p>
  <b>MARY HATFORD: </b>
</p><p> </p><p></p><blockquote>
  <p><b>QUIRK</b> : <em> Steal─ </em>  A quirk that allows her to steal and use another person's Quirk after stealing something from a person. The more important the object was to the person the longer she can maintain a copied power and while she is using it the other person cannot use their power for as long as a week and the effect runs out if the item is lost or taken back. After the time limit runs out, she loses the copied Quirk until she once takes something from them. However, she cannot simultaneously copy multiple Quirks, only one at a time. She can't effectively use Quirks that require previously stored up power, such as Neil or Nathan's or any mutation quirks.<br/><b>STATUS</b>: Deceased</p>
</blockquote><p> </p><p><b>NATHAN WESINSKI</b>: </p><p> </p><p></p><blockquote>
  <p><b>QUIRK</b> : <em>  Snuff film </em> ─  Is able to see the memories and life of a person when he kills a person and gains their experience and memories. When he kills a person their life flashes before his eyes in fast forward like watching a movie. <br/><b>VILLAIN NAME: </b> The Butcher<br/><b>STATUS</b>: Currently in jail</p>
</blockquote><p> </p><p>
  <b>KEVIN DAY: </b>
</p><p> </p><p></p><blockquote>
  <p><b>QUIRK</b> :  <em> Daylight─ </em>  His powers rely on his cells' ability to absorb and metabolize solar energy from the sun. His body is a living solar battery that absorbs solar energies and converts them for fuel. His powers can be weakened or even temporarily disabled by staying in places with little to no light for extended periods of time. As a result, his body truly works as though it's powered by a light-energy battery-- once he has used up his reserves, he will require a "charge" from another light source in order to continue utilizing his powers. With training he can also increase the amount of sun energy stored in his cells so he can use his powers, at night and in dark places like underground. The user can accelerate and fly by expending this energy as fuel. While incredibly fast, flight uses more energy than normal if used too much and is in danger of exhaustion / death if overused<br/><b>HERO NAME:</b>   Daybreak<br/><b>HERO RANK:</b>  Previously ranked #2, currently unranked</p>
</blockquote><p> </p><p>
  <b>ANDREW MINYARD: </b>
</p><p> </p><p></p><blockquote>
  <p><b>QUIRK</b> :  <em> Supernova─ </em>  Emits, manipulates, and amplifies energy wavelengths. Is able to bend and focus light through his body to create beams of light that can sear and cut. He can create and manipulate constructs made of "hard" light that can be shattered. ( Knives are the most common construct.) He emits a low level of interference that disrupts other frequencies and technology.<br/>He can amplify or cancel out Aaron's wavelengths and vice versa and they are naturally complimentary.<br/>Going too long without using quirk leads to nausea, mania and further health complications.  <br/><b>HERO NAME: </b> <em> Gemini<br/></em> <b>HERO RANK:</b>  Under top 50</p>
</blockquote><p> </p><p>
  <b>AARON MINYARD:</b>
</p><p> </p><p></p><blockquote>
  <p><b>QUIRK</b> :  <em> Blackhole─ </em>  The ability to absorb, neutralize and disrupt energy waves in the area. He can absorb light and heat, disrupt electronics, and cancel out sound. Can create areas of darkness and cold. <br/>Going too long without using quirk leads to nausea, mania and further health complications.  <br/><b>HERO NAME:</b> Gemini<br/><b>HERO RANK:</b>  Under top 50</p>
</blockquote><p> </p><p><b>DAN WILDS</b>: </p><p> </p><p></p><blockquote>
  <p><b>QUIRK</b> :  <em> Wildfire─ </em> Able to create flames of huge power and size but has no control of them and quickly spread, considered a risky quirk with a high likelihood of collateral damage.<br/><b>HERO NAME</b> :  Wildfire<br/><b>HERO RANK</b>:  10th</p>
</blockquote><p> </p><p>
  <b>MATT BOYD:</b>
</p><p> </p><p></p><blockquote>
  <p><b>QUIRK</b> : <em> Immovable─ </em> The user can make themselves, or anything they touch immovable. Anything that is affected will ignore any force put on it and will refuse to move. Objects rendered immobile are not necessarily heavier but literally resist any attempts to move them. This can make the user or objects appear incredibly strong and resilient, however it doesn’t actually provide any increased defenses. Effect fades the further the user is away or after a short period of time. <br/><b>HERO NAME:</b>   Hold Fast<br/><b>HERO RANK</b>:   Under top 50</p>
</blockquote><p> </p><p>
  <b>SETH GORDON: </b>
</p><p> </p><p></p><blockquote>
  <p><b>QUIRK</b> : <em> Wraith─ </em>  the user can turn into a cloud of smoke, allowing them to easily dodge any attacks and sneak through small gaps. The user can only stay in this form for a short time, though, staying in the form any longer than 20 seconds will make them start to forget things / places. <br/><b>HERO NAME:</b>   Wraith<br/><b>STATUS</b>:  Deceased</p>
</blockquote><p> </p><p>
  <b>ALLISON REYNOLDS: </b>
</p><p> </p><p></p><blockquote>
  <p><b>QUIRK</b> : <em> Fuse─ </em> She can transform his body into any substance she touches, affording her superhuman strength and durability by taking on the substance's physical properties. The more of a substance she has access to the more complete the transformation.<br/><b>HERO NAME:</b>   Princess Cut<br/><b>HERO RANK: </b> 38th</p>
</blockquote><p> </p><p>
  <b>NICKY HEMMICK:  </b>
</p><p> </p><p></p><blockquote>
  <p><b>QUIRK</b> : <em>  Heat Vision─ </em>   The user is able to perceive the infrared spectrum (i.e. temperature), allowing them to see temperature variations in objects and environment. This ability is incredibly useful for observation purposes, as the user is able to see the heat presences of any living targets.<br/><b>HERO NAME:</b>   Heat Seeker<br/><b>HERO RANK:</b>  Under top 50</p>
</blockquote><p> </p><p>
  <b>RENEE WALKER: </b>
</p><p> </p><p></p><blockquote>
  <p><b>QUIRK</b> :  <em> Scarecrow─ </em>  The user can emit an aura of intense fear. Anyone who feels it begins to hallucinate and panic, their environment twisting and warping based on their fears. The user can regulate the intensity of this aura. <br/>Renee has worked extremely hard to control the radius of her power and is able to project it outward in only specific directions. <br/><b>HERO NAME</b> :  Omen<br/><b>HERO RANK:</b>  Under top 50</p>
</blockquote><p> </p><p>
  <b>DAVID WYMACK:</b>
</p><p> </p><p></p><blockquote>
  <p><b>QUIRK:</b>   <em> Strike on─ </em>  rough fingertips can be used to create sparks / light fires and even light hands on fire, but the flames slowly burn up the users arms the longer it is used. The user can engulf an object they are touching in flames.<br/><b>HERO NAME</b> :  Fireman<br/><b>HERO RANK: </b> Under top 50</p>
</blockquote><p> </p><p>
  <b>RIKO MORIYAMA:</b>
</p><p> </p><p></p><blockquote>
  <p><b>QUIRK:</b>  <em>Darkness─ </em>A quirk which allows the user to transform their physiology into that of a shadow, turning their body into a shadow that cannot be touched by normal means. Is also able to travel through and in shadows to move swiftly, dodging efficiently and making surprise attacks. <br/><b>HERO NAME: </b> The Raven<br/><b>HERO RANK: </b>1</p>
</blockquote><p> </p><p>
  <b>TETSUJI MORIYAMA:</b>
</p><p> </p><p></p><blockquote>
  <p><b>QUIRK</b> : <em> Shadow puppet─ </em>   when touching a person's shadow with his own shadow he can manipulate them and control their bodies<br/><b>STATUS</b>: Retired</p>
</blockquote><p>
  <b>KAYLEIGH DAY:</b>
</p><p> </p><p></p><blockquote>
  <p><b>QUIRK</b> :  <em> Daylight─ </em>  Her powers rely on his cells' ability to absorb and metabolize solar energy from local stars. Her body is a living solar battery that absorbs solar energies and converts them for fuel. With training she learned to increase the amount of sun energy stored in her cells so she could use her powers, at night, in dark places, and in space. The more sun rays she absorbed the stronger she got and t he radiation absorbed is then converted to pure energy, allowing her to fly.<br/><b>HERO NAME:</b> Daylight<br/><b>STATUS</b>: Deceased. Former #1 hero</p>
</blockquote>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>andrew and neil are both OP, i will be the first to admit that but i'll do my best to make sure things are balanced and it's still interesting.<br/>also pour one out for seth i gave him a super cool power then killed him anyways. rip.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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